Domestic appliance



Sept. 18, 1945.v D. K. FERRls 2,384,903

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 1, 1942 e Sheets-sheet 1 IFI llllnl Sept.18, 1945. D. K. Fr-:RRls 2,384,903

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Aug. l, 1942' 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY Q46/ wwwSept. 1s, 1945. K FERms 2,384,903.l

DOMESTIC APPLIANGE Filed Aug. l, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept- 18, 1945 D.K FERRls l 2,384,903

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 1, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 sept. 1s, 1945.D. K FERR@ 2,384,903

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Aug. l, 1942 6 Sheebs--Sheei'P 5 384 :j: A568366 s3; 3'Iseo FIEI.

,2;- H al 327 Ilz Sept. 18, 1945. D K FERRIS 2,384,903

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Aug. l, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Sept.18, 1945 i DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Donald K. Ferris, Dayton, Ohio, assignorto General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication August 1, 1942, Serial No. 453,223

claims.

'I'his invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularlytowashing machines.

It has long been recognized that it is highly vdesirable that in washingmachines the washing and drying operations be accomplished successivelyin the same receptacle. By such an arrangement the manual eflort`required is greatly reduced, and this arrangement also makes automaticoperation practical. and use of such washing machines has been impededby the rather complicated, unreliable and expensive mechanism used toprovide agitation, drying and changing from agitation to drying in sucha machine.

It is an object ofV my invention to provide a simple, reliable andinexpensive mechanism for agitating the contents of a washing machine.

It is another object of my invention to provide a simple, reliable andinexpensive means for connecting the tub to the driving means forspinning the tub to dry the clothes.

The sale It is another object of my invention to provide an interlockingcontrol between the connecting means and the means for stopping the tubupon completion of the spinning.

It is another object of my invention to provide a self-energizingbraking means for stopping the tub and a simple means which requirescomparatively little power for applying and releasing the braking means.t

It is another object of my vinvention to provide a simple eillcientlubricating means for washing machines.

These and #other objects are attained by providing a Washing machinewith an agitating means connected through a simple cylindrical cam meansto an electric motor for reciprocating the agitating means relative tothe tub. The tub is connected\by a wound spring clutch mechanism to theelectric motor. 'I'he wound spring clutch mechanism is controlled by aselfenergizing brake means which also stops the tub and which includes amovable brake drum having a limited amount of movement with respect tothe tub for operating the wound spring clutch mechanism. Theself-energizing brake means is in the form of a band brake which isapplied through a spring and released by a cam -operated by a solenoid.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is I.clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top portion of a vertical sectional cluding the tub and theagitatlng means;

Fig. 2 is the lower portion of the vertical sectional view of thewashing machine mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a. horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 ofFig. 2 showing the brake released and clutch engaged for spinningpurposes;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View of the brake control cam holding the brakein released position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the brake appliedto hold the tub stationary and to release the wound spring clutch. forthe agitating period;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the brake operating cam in positionfor applying the brake;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view snowing the cam with thedual cam follower in its upper position;

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 ofFig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9-9 of Fig. '7; ,g

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view somewhat similar toFig. 7 but showing a cylindrical cam attached to the agitator with asingle cam follower connected to a driving motor;

Fig. ll is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line H-ii of Fig.12 showing an internal cylindrical cam connected to a driving motor; anda single cam follower connected to the agitator;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line |2-i2 of Fig.11;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of another form ofwashing machine mechanism employing the movable brake drum and woundspring type clutch mechanism; and

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line M-H of Fig. 13 througha. portion of the brake drum adjacent its connection with the woundspring clutch mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly Fig. 1, there isshown a washing machine tub generally designated by the referencecharacter 20 and including an inner tub 22 provided with perforations 2lin its lower DOrtion. Surrounding the inner tub 22 is an outer tub orflume member 2l which prevents the escape cf water through theperforations in the inner tub 22 as long as the tub 20 is stationary.'The inner and outer tubs v22 and 2l areprovided with bosses fastenedtogether by rivets 28 to form a flume 30 between the inner and outertubs 22 and 26. The inner flange of the'inner tub extends to a sealingring 32 which is in sealing engagement; with an annular shoulder 34 uponthe bottom of the flume r outer tub member 26. This shoulder 36 issupported by a ring 36 which is fastened to a cup-shaped member 38 whichin turn is fastened to a hub d0. This hub l0 is mounted upon the upperend of a rotatable sleeve l2 which is supported by a ball bearing dit.

The agitator 36 is threaded upon the upper end of a vertical rod or tubei8 which is slidable within the bearing sleeve $2. The agitator 66 isgenerally bell-shaped and contains the upperend of a flexible bellows 50which has its lower edges sealed to the flange 52 of the flume or outertub 26. Also connected to the hub l0 is a flywheel t for minimizing thevibration during the spinning of the tub.

Heretofore, mechanism of considerable complication has been used toreciprocate the agitator. According to my invention I provide a verysimple means to accomplish this. The lower end of the agitator rod i8 isprovided with a cam follower member 56 containing the cam followerthimbles 60 and 62 which at their inner end carry the cam followerprojections extending into the opposite figure 8 shaped grooves 8d and66 of the cylindrical cam 68. The cam follower thimbles 60 and 62 arecylindrical in shape and are movable within the cylindrical bore Tl!which extends through the cam follower member 58. The cam followerthimbles 5|) and 52 are yieldingly pressed inwardly so that their camfollower projections are at all times held within the grooves 6ft and 65of the cylindrical cam t8. This is done by the coil springs 'l2 and 'ldwhich are held in place bythe cotterpins 'i6 and 18.

In order to prevent the cam follower member 58 from rotating with thecam 68, when it is desired to reciprocate the agitator Q6, the bearingsleeve d2 is provided with a yoke member 8|? having a vertical slot 82which receives the roller 8G extending from the rear of the cam followermember 58. To lubricate the bearing sleeve ft2 and the ball bearing M,the interior of the cylindrical cam 63 is drilled to provide a cylinder85 of a lubricant pump which includes a hollow piston 88 threaded intothe center of the cam follower 58 and connecting directly with thelubricant passage Sil leading to the bearing sleeve 42 and the ballbearing lill. The upper end of the cylindrical cam E2' is provided witha flared mouth @2 so that the oil which is splashed around within theframe Sli of the washing machine mechanism will fill the cylinder 8Swithin the cam 68 between each downward stroke of the cam follower 58and the agitator shaft d8. On each downward stroke of the cam follower58 and the hollow piston 88, oil will be forced from the bottom of thecylinder 85 up through the passage in the hollow piston and up throughthe lubricant passage 9U to the bearing sleeve d2 and the ball bearingdll.

The bottom of the yoke member 80 is provided with a disk 96. Supportedupon this disk 96 is a lflanged brake drum 98 which is held on the disk96 by three pins |0|. These pins are xed to the disk 95 and extend intohorizontal slots |03 in the brake drum so that, according to the lengthof these slots, the brake drum is allowed a limited amount of rotationupon the disk 9B. The brake drum 98 cooperates with a self-energizingband brake member including a metal band |05 fastened by the rivets l'lto the housing or frame 955 provided upon its inner face with suitablebrake lining |09. The other end of the band |05 is turned outwardly toprovide a flange to which is hooked one end of a tension coil spring H3which has its other end anchored to the opposite end of the brake band|05. It will be understood that this brake is self-energizing when thedisk 96 is rotating in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs.3 and 5. The spring ||3 is used to apply the brake and apply the properpulling force to the ange l l to cause the brake band |05 to grip thebrake drum 98.

In order to Arelease the brake, a cam H5 is mounted upon the inner endof a rotatable shaft which extends through a bushing |l9 provided in thewall of the housing or frame member 96. The cam H5 is operated through alever arm |2| by an electromagnet or solenoid |23. When the cam H5 isturned so that it does not engage the ange l l the brake will be appliedto the brake drum. When, however, the solenoid |23 is energized, the cam||5 will engage the flange and lift the brake band |05 and its brakelining away from the brake drum 98 to release the disk 96 and the tub20.

Through a novel interlocking arrangement the application and release ofthe brake is used to disconnect and connect the driving motor from andto the tub. This feature also cooperates perfectly with the cylindricalcam reciprocating mechanism for the reason that when the motor isconnected to the tub for spinning purposes, the reciprocation of, theagitator will be prevented, because it is necessary that there berelative rotation between the cylindrical cam 68 and the cam follower 58to provide reciprocation of the agitator.

When the brake is applied to prevent rotation of the tub and the camfollower 58, reciprocation of the agitator will take place upon rotationof the driving means and the cylindrical cam 8S. To accomplish thispurpose, the brake drum 98 is urged in a counterclockwise direction bythe tension coil spring |25. The spring |25 causes the brake drum 98 tobe rotated relative to the disk 96 and the tub 2t until the pins |0|each engage one end of their respective slots IBS.

Provided on the bottom of the disk S6 is a wound spring type clutch |21having its one end fastened by a screw |29 tothe disk 96 and its otherend |3| extended through an aperture in an ear |33 extending downwardlyfrom an edge cf the brake drum 98. The wound spring clutch l2? extends'vin a counterclockwise direction around the drive shaft |35 of anelectric driving motor |37. This drive shaft has a bearing |39 withinthe disk @6 and is threaded to the cylindrical cam 68 at its upper end.The drive shaft |35 is supported at its upper and lower ends by the ballbearings lili and M3. The bearing |39 constitutes the lower` bearing forthe bearing sleeve l2 of which, of course, the upper bearing is the ballbearing M. When the motor |37 and the solenoid |23 are energized, thebrake band |65, the brake drum 98 and the wound spring clutch mechanism|21 will be in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Operation To agitate the contents of the tub, the solenoid |23 as wellas the electric motor |31 are energized. This will cause the brakerelease cam to turn in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6 to theposition shown in Fig. 6, to release the brake band ll5 and permit thespring ||3 to apply the selfenergizing band brake |05 to the brake drum98,

as shown in Fig. 5. The application of the brake band to the brake drum98 vwill=cause the brake drum 98 to be held, but the disk 96, the yokemember 80, the tub 20 and the cam follower 58 will continue to rotatethrough a limited angle relative to the brake drum 98 and the brake band|05 until the wound spring clutch |01 is unwound sufficiently to loseits grip upon the drive shaft |35 against its own spring tension and thetension of the spring |25 which will be stretched as shown in Fig. 5.'I'he drive shaft |35 will then rotate freely while the cam followermember 53 will be prevented from rotating, but the follower 58 willreciprocate vertically between the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 andthe positions shown in Figs. 'I and 8.

In order to terminate the agitating or washing period and to startdrying the clothesy the s oleniod |23 is deenergized to cause its returnspring |45 to turn the cam ||5 in a counter# clockwise direction to theposition shown in Fig. 4 as viewed in Fig. 4, so that the flange will beraised against the tension of the spring ||3 to release the brake bandIUS-from the brake drum 98. The releasing of the brake drum 98 willallow the tension coil spring |25 to rotate the brake drum 98 relativeto the disk 96 to cause the wound spring clutch |21 to grip the driveshaft |35 to cause the tub 20, the yokemember l0, the bellows follower58, the disk 96 and the brake drum 98 to rotate with the cylindrical cam68 and the electric motor |31, so that the washing fluid within the tubwill be thrown over the rim of the flume or outer tub 26 and drawn fromthe inner tub 22 through the apertures 24 and the fiume passage 30.

Second form In Fig. is shown a modification in which the agitator shaft248 has connected to its lower end a cylindrical cam 268 provided with asingle cam groove 266 in the form of a figure 8. This cylindrical cam268 is rotatably mounted within a socket 2|0 forming part of the camfollower member which carries the single cam follower thimble 2|2provided with a cam follower projection held in engagement with the camgroove 266 by the compression type coil spring 2|4 which is held by thecotterpin 2|6. A key 2|8 is provided for preventing relative rotationbetween the agitator shaft'248 and the yoke member 220 which connects tothe tub. This figure illustrates brake drum member 330 is supported bythree pins' 30| which extend into three'` longitudinal slots 303 in thebrake drum.

Extending around the brake drum 393 is a self-energizing band brake 305which is anchored to the housing by the rivets 301 at one end andprovided with a. flange 3|| at the opposite end t0 whichis connected thetension coil spring 3|3. The band brake is faced with brake lining 309and it -grips the brake drum in a self-energizing manner when thetension spring 3|3 is allowed to exert its force upon the fiange at theloose end of the band brake. The brake is released by a cam 3I5 operatedby the solenoid 323 through the arm 32| and the shaft 3|1 for liftingthe flanged end 3|| of the band brake against the tension of the spring3|3 to release the brake.

Operation of third form This modification operates in substan-tially thesame manner as the first modification. When the solenoid 323 and thedriving motor are energized, the cam 3 5 will move away from the flange3| to cause the spring 3|3 to apply the self-energizing brake 305 to thebrake drum 388. This application will cause the brake drum 398 to beheld stationary by the brake band 305 and the yoke member 380 will thenrotate with respect to the brake drum 398 until the pins 30| reach theopposite ends of the slot 303 from the position they are shown in Fig.12. This action will cause the wound spring 321 and its, anchoring screw329 to turn in a counterclockwise direction relative to the ear 333which holds the other end of the wound spring clutch member so that thewound spring clutch member will be unwound to release its grip from theoutside of the cylindrical cam 3 68. This release will allow the maindriving shaft to turn relative to the yoke member 380 to cause the camfollower member 349 to traverse the cam groove 366 to reciprocate theagitator shaft 348.

When it is desired to terminate the agitating period, the solenoid 323is deenergized to cause the came 3|5 to engage the flange 3| at the endof the band brake 305 to release the brake 305. Upon the release of thebrake 305, the tension spring 325 will turn the brake drum 398 in acounterclockwise direction relative to the yoke 380 until the pins 30|reach the end of the slot that Ithere are a number of different ways touse A In Figs. 11 and 12 is illustrated the use of the internalcylindrical cam. There is shown the agitator shaft 348 provided with acam follower 349 extending into the cam groove 366 of the sininternalcylindrical cam is connected at 'its lower end directly to the driveshaft 335 of the driving motor. 'I'he agitator shaft 348 is preventedfrom rotating relative to the yoke member 380 by the pin 384 providedwith a roller extending into a vertical slot 382 in the yoke member 380.The outside of the internal cylindrical cam 366 is provided with a woundspring type of clutch 321 which has its lower end anchored to the screw329 xed to the lower end of -the yoke member 380. The upper end of theWound spring clutch member is extended until it passes through anaperture in the ear 333 extending upwardly from the brake drum 398 whichis rotatably mounted ,upon the lower end of the yoke member 380. The

303, as shown in Fig. 12. At the same time the ear 333 will move theextended end of theA wound spring clutchv member 321 in acounterclockwise direction to cause it to wrap tightly and grip theoutside of the cylindrical cam 368. It should be noted that the woundspring typevclutch member is self-energizing in the direction ofrotation of the driving motor and in the same direction as the bandbrake 305. Thus, in this arrangement which is used in all the formsillustrated, the driving energy of the motor is used to tighten theWound spring clutch member 321. 'I'his engagement causes the brake drum,the yoke 380.

der the force provided by the rotational inertia of the spinning tub.

Fourth form In Figs. 13 and 14 I have shown how my wound spring clutchand movable brake drum type of control can be applied to a washingmachine using another form of agitator operation: In this form, theagitator shaft 448 reciprocates within a bearing sleeve 442 supported atits upper end by the ball bearings 444. The lower end of the agitatorshaft 448 holds a wrist pin 450 which receives in sliding engagement apin 462 extending from the .y hub 454 which is rotatably mounted uponthe inclined pin 456 andfis tightly held between the head 458 of the pin456, and a rotatable member band brake 405 is applied by the spring 413thereby assuring the smooth swift stop to the rotation of the tub. Thisalso causes the release of the yoke 490 from the drive shaft 435 by thewound spring clutch member 410.

The self-energizing character of the brake makes it possible to operatethe brake with a small amount of power. The application of the brake bymeans of a spring provides smoothness and uniformity in stopping thetub. The use of the operation of the brake to control the operation ofthe self-energizing wound spring clutch provides an interlockingarrangement which insures the release of. the clutch upon application ofthe brake and the release of the brake prior to engagement of theclutch.

While the form of the embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows: 1. In combination, a rotatable drivingmeans. a rotatable driven means provided with a movable braking memberprovided with a-braking surface,

- a reciprocable driven means rotatable coincidenthe drive shaft 435. Awound spring type clutch member 410 surrounds the drive shaft 435 andhas one end anchored by a screw to the yoke 480 while the other end isprovided with a projection which extends through, the ear 412 projectingdownwardly from the brake drum 496 which is rotatably mounted upon theyoke 480 and supported by three pins projecting from the yoke intocircumferential slots provided in the brake drum 498. A self-energizingband brake 405 extends around the brake drum and is pulled intoengagement with the brake drum by the tension coil spring 4l3 andreleased by a cam 4|5 under the control of the solenoid 423. A tensioncoil spring 425 extends between the ear 412 and an anchoring screw 429to rotate the drum 498 relatively to the yoke 480 in such a direction towind the wound spring clutch member 410 upon the drive shaft 435 whenthe band brake 405 is released.

Operation of fourth form When the band brake 405 is applied to the brakedrum 498 the yoke member 364 will turn relative to the brake drum 498until the pins extending from the yoke member into the slots in thebrake drum 498 reach the end of the slots. This will cause the unwindingand release of the Wound spring clutch member from the drive shaft 435and will also prevent the further rotation of the yoke member 480 andthe further rotation of the washing machine tub which is connected tothe upper end of the bearing sleeve 442. The rotation of the drive shaft435 will cause the pinion 460 to rotate the gear 466 and to revolve thepin456. The angularity of the pin 456 with respect to the shaft 462,upon whose axis the member 460 ro- -tates, will cause the pin 452 tomove up and down thereby reciprocating the agitator shaft 448.

tally with said rotatable drivenmeans, an anchored braking means forengaging said braking surface, a reciprocating mechanism connecting saidrotatable driving means and said reciprocable driven means, a clutchmeans for connecting said driving means and said rotatable driven means,means responsive to the relative movement 4between the braking memberand the rotatable driven means for controlling the clutch the drivingmeans With respect to the driven means, a brake means having one elementprovided with a stationary anchorage and a cooperatingelement connectedto the driven means, means providing a limited amount of movementbetween the cooperating element and the driven means, a wound springclutch means wound into coaxial contact relationship with a portion ofthe driving means and having one end of the spring connected to saiddriven means and the other end connected to said cooperating element forclutching together and unclutching the driving and driven means by therelative movement between said cooperating element and the driven means.

contact relationship with a portion of the driving means and having oneend of the spring connected to said driven means and the other endconnected to said cooperating element lfor clutching together andunclutching the'drivig and driven means by the relative movement betweensaid cooperating'element and the driven means, and a second spring meansconnecting said cooperating element :and said driven means and having agreater spring force with respect to the cooperating element and thedriven means for overcom- 4 ing spring reaction of the wound springclutch means to cause the clutch means to engage the driving means.

4. In combination, a rotatable driving means,

, transmittinglubricant from said pump to said a rotatable driven means,a' reciprocable driven means, means for causing said reciprocable drivenmeans to rotate coincidentally with said rotatable driven means, meansoperated bythe relative rotation of said driving and rotatable drivenmeans for reciprocating said reciprocable means, a movable brake meansfor preventing rotation of said rotatable driven means and causing thedriving means to reciprocate the reciprocable means, a clutch meansmovable into engagement with a portion of said driving means and havingone portion connected to said rotatable driven means and the otherportion connected to and operated by said brake means for causing thedriving means to rotate both driven means, said rotatable driven meansbeing provided with bearings, a lubricant reservoir for lubricating saidclutch means, a plunger type lubricant pump including piston andcylinder members located in said reservoir, means for tol pumplubricant.

' 5. In combination, a rotatable driving means.'

a rotatable driven means, a reciprocable driven means, means forlcausing said reciprocable driven means to rotate coincidentally withsaid rotatable driven means, means operated by the relative rotationofsaid driving and said rotatable driven means for reciprocating saidreciprocable means. a movable brake means for preventing rotation ofsaid rotatable driven means and causing the driving means to reciprocatethe reciprocable means, and a wound spring type clutch means movableinto wrapping engagement Witha portion of said driving means and havingone end connected to said rotatable driven means and the other endconnected to and operated by said brake means for causing thedrivingmeans to'rotate both driven means.

DONALD K. FERRIS.

